Joe Manchin is, was, and always will be a Democrat. His dilemma is he has to pretend to be more conservative in a state Trump carried handily. This does not sit well with the genuine Democrats in West Virginia.

GOP Poll Puts Morrisey and Manchin Almost Even After Kavanaugh Vote

The poll went into the field the day after the Senate voted to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. Manchin was the only Democrat to vote for Kavanaugh on Saturday.

As soon as Manchin announced his support for Kavanaugh on Friday, which he did only after Maine GOP Sen. Susan Collins came out for him, Morrisey accused the Democratic Senator of making a “craven political calculation.”

Manchin has faced some criticism from Democrats at home in the days since his vote. But running in a state President Donald Trump carried by 42 points in 2016, Manchin has to win over Trump voters